Steam Powered 3D Printed Mechanical Computer

Here is something you don't see every day: a steam-powered mechanical computer with nylon 3d printed parts.
It is a version of a Babbage Engine from the 19th century.





Project description:

A simplified version of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine no. 2 has been constructed by Piers Plummer as part of a project with the Computer Science Department at Royal Holloway University of London, funded by The Leverhulme Foundation. In this video, it is performing calculations while being powered by steam!

I just love the looks of it, with all the pipes, valves, and a steam boiler! Even a hand crank!

Source:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGib9sASZ5MUPpQM6t3krUQ

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Cool vintage omnidirectional speaker design you can 3d print

While checking out new designs on Youmagine, I found a 3d printable copy of vintage omnidirectional Harman Kardon HK-25 loudspeakers. Each speaker consists of a top and bottom part. The bottom is designed to hold a 50mm "metallic" driver speaker that can be found in many cheap "iPod" speaker docks.

This will probably bi my next 3d print for a small home sound system.

Here is the link to Youmagine where you can find the files:

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/hk-25-omnidirectional-loudspeaker

Speakers were designed by Jason J. Gullickson:  https://www.youmagine.com/jjg

It makes me wonder what is the copyright law on industrial design?

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Retro Contact 3D Scanner

Here is cool looking retro contact 3d scanner which gives 3d point cloud and wireframe to an old IBM PC.
Ah, the old days... I miss them. First PC I saw was ancient Hungarian clone of ... something ...

Source: unknown. Let me know if you have any additional information about this device.

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How to make a DIY camera lens from old optics

Mathieu Stern made a DIY monocle lens for his digital camera by using some vintage old optics and a 3D printer.


Here is the project video, the photographs are amazing:






Here is a project homepage with more details:

http://nofilmschool.com/2016/11/master-weird-lenses-just-made-3d-printed-lens-and-its-awesome


Here is the entire setup mounted on a camera:

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DIY Spinning Wheel Made On a 3D Printer

Peter Kobrin design and 3D printed a spinning wheel for his wife. Spinning wheel was used to make yarn or thread from fiber (like raw wool) which were then woven into fabric. All parts are 3D printed except bearings, hooks and tubing. Parts are made on Prusa I3 in PLA.
It is a great example of how you can use modern technology to recreate a device which was used in centuries past.

He will publish the designs when he is finished with the development.

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Hacked Formlabs 3D Printer Plays a Game of Spacewar

3D printers are becoming so ubiquitous that even the higher-end machines like Form 1 and Form 2 are being used to make gaming projects like this Spacewar setup.

Matt Keeter used electronics and lasers from Form 2 and cover from Form 1, programmed it in Haskell and made a classic video game playable on a hardware of gutted SLA 3d printer.

Here is the hardware connected:

Here is a photo of the projected game objects, link to the video is listed bellow:

Detailed build guide, the code and video of project working can be found at:

http://www.mattkeeter.com/projects/spacewar/

Source-code is available at GitHub:

https://github.com/mkeeter/spacewar

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Converting an old toolbox into a DIY 3d printer

Chad Bridgewater is a maker that uses old machines and converts them into 3d printers and other digital fabrication devices. They have a great retro style. See his previous work here, it is a must-study if you are a fan of more rough and raw retro design. 

Now he is converting an old metal toolbox into a custom 3d printer. I really like the look and convergence of old and modern. The box he uses is a Huot toolbox that was once used as a "Blower Repair Kit", the toolbox has a fold-down front panel door.

Here is a latest video presentation from video series showing each step of the process:



For detailed build log take a look at:

http://chadbridgewater.blogspot.com/2015/06/boca.html

Another great project Chad!

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Retro designed 3d printer in post-WW2 table saw frame

I LOVE the design of this 3d printer made by Chad Bridgewater! It is a true piece of art! This custom combines modern technology and vintage design as he developed his 3d printer based on a frame of old post-WWII Craftsman table saw.  He re-purposed this two machines for his MFA thesis and he will aslo present old press drill turned int CNC mill.

Here is his NOS 3d printer in old table saw:

Kudos Chad! You Sir are a master craftsman!

You can see more details and much more pictures at his blog here:

http://chadbridgewater.blogspot.com/2015/03/nos-3d-printer.html

He also made a laser engraver in post-WW2 table saw:

http://chadbridgewater.blogspot.com/2015/03/nos-laser-engraver.html

Thanks for the tip Franklin Flood!

Here you can see hiss drill press upgraded into CNC router:

http://chadbridgewater.blogspot.com/2015/04/drill-press-turned-cnc-router.html

... and some photos from his MFA exhibition:

http://chadbridgewater.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-few-more-from-my-mfa-exhibition.html

Cool toolboxes!

Update:

Chad has a new project:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2015/06/converting-old-toolbox-into-diy-3d.html

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Blast from the 3d printing past

News clip from 1989 showing 3d printing. It also shows why patenting technology is so problematic. Imagine if we had open access to the technology for 24 years? We would live in Star Trek world by now. Patents and IP rights are bad bad things ...

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